‘We have to keep that memory alive’: Keshcarrigan remembers ‘one of Leitrim’s sons’
From Keshcarrigan to New York, Fr Mychal Judge’s legacy of compassion and service was remembered by a community determined to keep his memory alive.
After an otherwise gloomy morning in Keshcarrigan, the sun broke through the clouds just in time, bathing the memorial event for Fr Mychal Judge in warmth and sunshine.
The village came out in numbers on September 12 to honour Fr Judge, who was a chaplain with the New York Fire Department and became the first recorded death in the attacks on the World Trade Centre 25 years ago, on September 11, 2001.
Fr Judge holds huge importance in Leitrim, particularly in Keshcarrigan, as his father emigrated from there in 1926 alongside his mother, Mary Fallon, from Drumkeeran. Fr Judge had visited Keshcarrigan before his death to see his ancestral home, even bringing a cornerstone of the house back to New York with him.
The memorial event drew many people from Keshcarrigan and the surrounding areas, along with local politicians and representatives, Kiltubrid Pipe Band, National Ambulance Service (NAS) Pipes and Drums, Leitrim and Dublin Fire Services, An Garda Síochána and members of the Prison Service. The event had been planned since Christmastime by Patrick McGreevy, Chairman of the Keshcarrigan Development Association.
The large turnout at the Fr Mychal Judge Memorial Garden clearly meant a lot to Patrick, the Development Association and the wider Keshcarrigan community.
“We are here today remembering one of Leitrim’s sons. We have to keep that memory alive. It’s very important because it’s history,” he said.
Patrick strived to keep the event non-political, with the sole focus on remembering Fr Judge, something which was successfully achieved.
“It was never anything to do with politics, it was to do with remembering one of Leitrim’s sons who made such a sacrifice and who was so well-liked and loved by his community and everyone who worked with him.”
Fr Mychal Judge’s memory will live on in Keshcarrigan forever. At the memorial garden, there is a bench dedicated to him and a plaque. During the memorial event on September 12, Chief Leitrim Fire Officer Noel O’Reilly and Superintendent Carla Curry with the Sligo-Leitrim Garda Division planted a tree on behalf of all emergency services personnel. Through these memorials and actions, Fr Mychal Judge will always remain a part of Keshcarrigan.
Three wreaths were also laid at the memorial bench. The first was laid by Cathaoirleach Mary Bohan and Leitrim County Council CEO Joseph Gilhooly; the second by Aidan Fallon, representing the Fallon family, and Justin Hayes; and the third by Jeanette Conefrey and Lorna McCarthy of the Keshcarrigan Development Association.
Fr Judge was described during his lifetime as a “living saint.” He was known for ministering to those marginalised in society, including AIDS patients, people suffering from homelessness and addiction, and immigrants.
“His memory will live on because we’ll keep it going. We have to, it’s very important. He was part of our community. He served everyone irrespective of who they were, colour, race or creed, he did his job,” added Patrick.
Fr Judge entered the lobby of the north tower, where he prayed over bodies and offered assistance before he was struck by debris and killed, at the age of 68. He was registered as the first casualty of the attacks.
“He found his vocation and calling and until his untimely death, he served his community and served it well, including the firefighters,” added Patrick.
Local resident and businessman Des Foley commended everyone in the Keshcarrigan Development Association and the village for the work they put into organising the event for the 25th anniversary.
“They were fantastic in their preparation,” he said, also thanking Leitrim County Council for providing funding.
“The pipe bands were unbelievable. Imagine a band came all the way from Dublin along with their mascot,” he said, referring to the Irish Wolfhound that accompanied the NAS pipe band and proved very popular on the day.
Cathaoirleach Mary Bohan said she was “honoured” to take part, as she got to carry the Drumkeeran flag along with the pipe bands, representing Fr Judge’s maternal side from Drumkeeran.
“I think the Keshcarrigan Development Association deserves a great credit for the commemoration of Mychal Judge. He was a wonderful man and I think he was very considerate and worked very hard for marginalised people as well as his work as a chaplain to the fire service in New York,” said Cllr Bohan.
On the memorial garden, she described it as “a lovely place,” saying, “It’s so peaceful and it’s so relevant to the life that Fr Mychal Judge lived and all of the people he helped during his life. Anyone can come here and maybe say a little prayer for him and for all the other people who died that day and died since,” she said.
As people began to leave the memorial garden, the sun was still shining down over Keshcarrigan.
After an afternoon spent remembering a man who dedicated his life to helping others, the warmth and light felt like a fitting final tribute to Fr Mychal Judge, whose presence, 25 years on, continues to shine brightly in the community.